There are many “instructors” out there that promote their courses and some of them are actually good at what they do while others are trying to take your money and relying on your ignorance on the subject to get away with it. By ignorance, I do not mean that you lack education or common sense, just that you may not know too much about the subject of adequate firearms training.

With that, please think about something before committing to a dedicated course: if is broadcasts online, ask yourself “what if I have a question?”. Currently (and for the foreseeable future) the NRA does not have any online courses. With that, any NRA instructor that says it is an NRA course and they happen to put it online (for firearm courses that is) for you to register, pay for and “attend” (which usually means you watch a video or PowerPoint presentation) then expect your money to be wasted because the courthouse is probably going to kick it back. This means you will not get your money back AND you wasted your time AND you learned nothing about firearm safety.

When it comes to defensive information, such as conceal carry information, it is important to get out of the class what you need to and what your “need” would be is: what are the conceal carry laws? Where can I legally carry? How can I transport my firearm? What do I do/say if I get pulled over? What if I need to fly and want to carry/bring my firearm? What are the rules of the local area? What signs do I need to be aware of (to prohibit carrying)?

You cannot plead ignorance if you actually have a license to carry concealed. That license states that you attended some sort of firearms safety course and that you are aware that you need to stay “up” on the local/state laws in your specific area. By saying “I was not told that”, “I did not know that” or “how was I supposed to know that” you are already wrong. It is your responsibility to gain that knowledge.

How much money do you have and do you enjoy throwing it away? I ask this because if you attend an online course for your conceal carry permit and the state does not accept it, or you attend that course, the state does accept it but the NRA finds out that the instructor did it online and revokes their credentials, then you are liable now and you learned little about the “can and cannots”. The money? Well, now you have to attend another course, sit in the classroom and hope that THIS class is actually going to teach you something. Fingers crossed!

Point being, if you attend an online course (which most universities are now promoting big time) you may not understand certain information. This is not even speaking about the conceal part of the course, this is just speaking about the firearm safety part. So, if you do not understand a part of the safety when dealing with the firearm and you end up firing that firearm anywhere, you are now liable for where that bullet goes. You are guilty and negligent. So if that bullet were to strike someone, you are guilty. How would you feel if it struck a child?
The phrase (which unfortunately is used a lot) “I didn’t know it was loaded” will not hold water in court on any level. You are responsible for the condition of that firearm, all firearms in your possession, at all times and guess what? If your firearm gets stolen and you do not report it, then you are still liable for everything that occurs with that firearm. Hmmmm think maybe you should research qualified and competent instructors now? I would hope so.

Many people are trying to capitalize on the latest fad/phase and that is that most everyone wants to gain their conceal carry license. That means that there are people out there that will devise ways to convince the public that they have the course that they need. They may advertise it as a defensive course that satisfies the state’s requirements for their conceal carry license. They will devise these courses preying on the ignorance of society to make as much money as possible while trying to “skirt” the laws of morality and ethics. I take my responsibilities more seriously than that.

My main concern is that there are plenty of firearm owners that are out there that believe they are “safe” and that they already “know all that they need to know about firearms” and this worries me for everyone’s safety. Their ignorance of reality places everyone around them at risk, especially if something bad happens. There are many that “talk” a big game and when they are called up “to the majors” they fail miserably. I don’t want to be the end result of their failure (being shot because they thought that they were good to go/the hero/bulletproof/etc.).

It is important to research anyone that is teaching you a skill. Not only research them but ask around to see if anyone else has gone to their class to see how it was (was it informative, instructors available after the class for questions, information easy to follow and understand, etc.). There is nothing wrong with calling the instructors/business and ask them questions about their instructors, if they are legitimate then they would have no issues letting a client/customer know who is teaching, how long they have been teaching, their credentials, etc. If you are made to feel guilty for asking such questions then that should SCREAM at you that you have asked / looked towards the wrong business. In that case you should RUN, RUN AWAY from that business as fast as you can.

A business is out to make money, some people go into business because they love what they do, others just want to make money. The bottom line is a business must make money if it intends on doing more business and intends to stay in business. With that, a business can still make money while providing adequate information at an affordable price. That price should be competitive for the area. Want to find out? Call around and ask each location their cost for their class (NRA firearms class/Conceal carry class/defensive fire class, etc.). Compare the costs with each of them, compare their credentials and what others are saying about them and get your answer that way.

Let me give you another example: When a question is asked to the average person in this area on what they would do if someone were to break into their home and their common answer would be “I would shoot them dead”. My answer to them at that point is “You will then be arrested and thrown in jail, probably sued by the threat/threats parents or spouse and your firearm will be confiscated”. They usually, at that point, look at me and say “I don’t care, I did not invite them, they were there to do me harm”. I tell them that in VA there is no “make my day law” or “Castle doctrine” so there are rules and regulations.

Just by that example, people go on the defensive and say crazy things like “I will shoot them and drag them into the house” (what they don’t know is that they will still go to jail), “if they come into my yard I will shoot them” (jail time), “I will put a knife in their hand and say they tried to kill me” (jail once the police investigate and realize that your fingerprints are on the knife and the knife matches the same ones in your knife drawer…two rooms and one floor over). Yet, people will still give a disgusted look and think that they have rights or that they will be “in the right” because someone attempted to break into their home.

Bottom line: you MUST know the do’s and don’ts when it comes to your rights, the laws and proper training involved with carrying for defensive reasons (and concealed carry is for defensive reasons). It does take more than going to the range once and shooting at a paper target. Ask yourself this: when was the last time a paper target attacked you? Just saying. There are techniques that can be used to increase speed and accuracy and prepare someone for quick/defensive firing if the need came up. Remember, if you get into a situation where you have to shoot to defend yourself, you still OWN every one of those bullets, regardless the situation, you are responsible for every bullet that you fire and you will be tried for any innocent struck by your bullet (that also means property as well).

Research for your rights, for your sanity, for your protection and the protection of your friends and family. Ignorance of the laws and regulations in your area (or other areas) is not a viable defense. If you enjoy your freedom, I would suggest you research your instructors, your future firearms safety classes and the things that will ultimately keep you safe in a dangerous/deadly situation.

Please feel free to forward this, email this, copy and paste it, share on social media, etc. I only attempt to ensure everyone knows what would be needed for their safety and the safety of their loved ones, especially today. Please be safe and DEFINTELY attend a safety course.

Holiday Safety: To all, because of the holidays, awareness tends to diminish because of the focus being presents, shopping, screaming kids and insane traffic. Because of this, threats tend to increase their “business”. Threats know that if they can corner a mom and her children by a vehicle, that that mother will quickly give up her purse, money, gifts/items to keep the children safe. Threats will prey on this type quickly.

Because threats are looking for anyone that seems like an easy “mark” it is important to remain aware and take certain steps to ensure your safety (and the safety of your children):

Tips:
-Park under a light. Even if you are only “going to be a minute” or “will be out of the store before it gets dark” sometimes we lose track of time.
-Back into a parking spot: this will allow you to leave quickly if needed.
-Get RFID sleeves for your credit cards to ensure you do not get the information stolen by someone with a remote scanner (I just had mine stolen two weeks ago, thankfully the bank blocked a transaction in Florida).
-Be aware of the surrounding area of your vehicle when approaching.
*If there seems to be a shady character in the vehicle next to yours, walk past your vehicle and circle back to the store. Once in the store, ask security or the manager to escort you to the vehicle.
* Enter the vehicle from the passenger side
* Look for anyone hiding underneath vehicles next to yours. If you walk down the opposite side of the parking lane, you would be able to see underneath the vehicles on the side where you parked easier.
*Keep your car key in your “weak” hand to keep your strong hand open for protection, if needed
*Always check the backseat before entering the vehicle
*When entering the vehicle, get in, lock door, start car, place in gear and then worry about the seatbelts, cell phone, etc. If a threat were to try and attack, you would be able to escape quickly.
-If you feel you are being followed in a store:
*Verify your suspicion by walking to a section where that person probably would not go to (example: If you are a female and a male is following you and you notice this while in the shoe department, go to the women’s underwear section, then to make up aisle. The odds that that person is shopping for the exact same thing as you is slim to none).
*Walk towards an employee and inform them that you are being followed and that you need them to contact the manager and security and have them verify it on their video system.
*Keep from allowing yourself to wander into remote areas of the store while the manager/security are checking their footage
*Have the manager hold the “stalker” away from any of the windows while you and your children escape out of the store long enough to drive away without the threat seeing your license plate or make/model of your vehicle.
*If the threat were to get too close or you feel they are dangerous, point at them and start screaming. If it was coincidence that they were following you, they will probably leave quickly. If they are a threat, others will be able to see the threat as well which will give you more witnesses.

There are many evil people that exist and the last thing any of us need is to have our loved ones experience a traumatic experience during the holidays, especially one that will affect their life in such a way that will make them scared wherever they go for the rest of their lives.

By increasing your awareness and knowing that it is okay to point at someone that is approaching you in a menacing way and screaming as loud as you can to gain attention, you can more likely avoid a threat or threatening encounter.

If a threat is approaching you in a menacing way, keep your car key at the ready and get ready to strike soft tissue. Groin strikes are “exit makers” and if you do not have that distance, use your strong hand and squeeze the “coal couple” to make a pair of diamonds!

If you have contractors visiting your home to do some work: painting, flooring, plumbing or whatever. It is important to go behind them and check the security of the area after they leave for the day. Some have been known to open windows or at the minimum unlock the window for entry later.

There have been many cases where a plumber has disabled a window alarm and then snuck into the home in the middle of the night to assault the homeowner. You cannot be too careful in your own home when others that do not live there are there working.

Even if the workers are family or friends, it could be that they opened the window to throw something out or for whatever reasons but forget to lock it back up when they closed it. This is a possible entry point for a threat.

Sliding doors, main doors, alarm systems, locks and windows: if you can gain entry into the home through it, then a threat can gain entry into the home from it. Secure those areas and ensure they remain secure for the safety of your family.